Asparagus plant-Jersey Giant

ABSTRACT

An all male asparagus hybrid resulting from a cross of female asparagus plant No. 56 (unpatented) and male plant No. 22-8 (unpatented) having high yield ability, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) good field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum and F. moniliforme) together with excellent geographic adaptability.

This invention relates to a new variety of Asparagus Plant, which is one of many plants developed by us in a broad program of asparagus improvement having several objectives, including improved resistance or desirably complete resistance to diseases such as rust (Puccinia asparagi) as well as good tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum and F. moniliforme).

Probably the most important objective in any such program however is to produce plants which have increased yield as well as larger and longer spears and which in turn appeal to the market.

The instant variety which we have chosen to denominate as "Jersey Giant", originally identified by us as No. 56×22-8, is one which has all of the foregoing attributes and as compared to some of the standard varieties such as Mary Washington (an unpatented variety) well known as an industry standard, the same is clearly superior.

The instant variety "Jersey Giant" was originated by crossing the seed patent "Donna" (an unpatented variety) with the pollen parent "Scott Howard" (also an unpatented variety), both of the foregoing having been developed by us, and as will be understood embodying the best characteristics of each.

In fact comparison in early yield (two weeks) and in fusarium infested soil in the vicinity of Bridgeton, N.J., the production of jumbo spears (larger than 10/16" diameter, 9" long) has shown that "Jersey Giant" our new variety has produced on the order of four times the number and about three times the total marketable spears 6/16" and larger diameter, 9" long.

When our new variety is grown in New Jersey, in fusarium infested fields it also produced about double the weight of marketable spears as compared with other varieties, some selections of Mary Washington and also unpatented, such as "Rutgers Beacon".

Of interest and indicative of the effect of fusarium infestation, is the fact that even in soils virgin to asparagus, our new variety still out produces, producing marketable yields usually twice that of Mary Washington in any event.

A compilation of data, setting forth actual results of growing our new variety in substantially different geographical locations, and in soil virgin to asparagus as well, follows hereafter and indicates the superiority we have developed in "Jersey Giant".

ASPARAGUS PLANT NO. 56×22-8 MALE HYBRID - "JERSEY GIANT"

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Bridgeton, New Jersey Early Yield (Two weeks). Fusar-                          ium infested soil.                                                                      Jumbo.sup.1  Total Marketable.sup.2                                            1981 1982    Mean    1981 1982  Mean                                  ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8  .sup. 462.sup.4                                                                       957     710   1185 1678  1432                                Mary Washington                                                                           137    199     168    494  809   652                                ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Mickleton, New Jersey Early yield (2 weeks). Fusarium                          infested soil. 1982.                                                                        Jumbo.sup.1                                                                          Total Marketable.sup.2                                      ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8      .sup. 494.sup.4                                                                        1316                                                    Rutgers Beacon 223      639                                                    ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Woodstown, New Jersey (2 weeks). Soil virgin to asparagus.                     Jumbo Spears.sup.1  Total Marketable Spears.sup.2                              1980      1981   1982   Mean  1980 1981 1982 Mean                              ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8                                                                             388    460    984  611   760  930  1582 1091                            Rutgers                                                                               325    322    516  388   612  766  1110  829                            Beacon                                                                         ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         Bixby, Oklahoma. Marketable yield snapped spears 9" and                        shorter, 6/16" diameter and larger. Soil virgin to asparagus.                              1979 1980      1981   Mean                                         ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8     .sup. 797.sup.4                                                                       2554      5024 2792                                       Mary Washington                                                                              393     818      2633 1281                                       ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                         Michigan. Soil virgin to asparagus.                                                     Sodus        Oceana County                                                     Marketable Yield.sup.2                                                                      Marketable Yield.sup.2                                            1981 1982    Mean    1981 1982  Mean                                  ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8  296.sup.4                                                                             396     346   389  1501  945                                 Mary Washington                                                                            99.sup.                                                                              100     100   120   601  360                                 ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 6                                                          ______________________________________                                         Clinton, North Carolina. Soil virgin to asparagus.                                        Marketable Spears.sup.2 (two weeks)                                            1980  1981      1982    Mean                                        ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8    1086.sup.4                                                                             2202      1707  1665                                      Robert Super.sup.3                                                                           253.sup.                                                                               721       694   556                                      ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 7                                                          ______________________________________                                         Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Soil virgin to asparagus.                                        Marketable Spears.sup.2 (two weeks)                                            1982                                                                ______________________________________                                         56 X 22-8    1384.sup.4                                                        Mary Washington                                                                              870.sup.                                                         ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 Spears larger than 10/16" diameter, 9" long                             .sup.2 Spears 6/16" and larger diameter, 9" long                               .sup.3 Selection of Mary Washington                                            .sup.4 All data are pounds per acre                                      

In the drawing attached hereto we have also supplied data which indicated thereon in reference to a stalk of a typical plant shown in black and white, in FIG. 1, and in FIG. 2 a typical plant in color as nearly representative as it is possible to make the same in an illustration of this kind, some of the details being obviously obscured and the color affected by density and light, though the illustration was made as a result of normal field conditions on a day of average sunlight.

ASPARAGUS PLANT NO. 56×22-8 MALE HYBRID "JERSEY GIANT"

    ______________________________________                                         Stalk Data                                                                     Number of nodes below first branch                                                                        24.1                                                Number of cm from crown to first branch                                                                   62.2                                                Number of branches         53                                                  Number cm between first and last branch                                                                   129                                                 Internode length in cm between branches                                                                   2.44                                                Number of cladophyll nodes beyond last branch                                                             24.9                                                Number of cm beyond last branch                                                                           13.2                                                Internode length in cm beyond last branch                                                                 0.53                                                Largest stalk diameter in mm                                                                              17.6                                                Mature stalk color, bloom removed                                                                         22-13                                               Flower Data                                                                    Petal tip (yellow)         24-5                                                Petal base (brown)         29-13                                               Flower length in mm        6.74                                                Flower width at midpoint in mm                                                                            2.92                                                ______________________________________                                          .sup.(1) Color number, Munsell Limit Color Cascade, Munsell Color, Macbet      Color and Photometry Division, 2441 Calvert Street, Baltimore, Maryland        21218                                                                    

We have caused our new variety "Jersey Giant" to be asexually reproduced in the vicinity of New Brunswick, N.J. and find that it does come true in successive generations.

Our new variety was asexually reproduced by crown division.

We also note that the female parent, No. 56, not being patented, is currently the subject matter of patent application as well as the variety No. 22-8 the male parent likewise.

We note that as is well known also the male plant is capable of greater yield for a longer period of time than the female plant and thus any male characteristics which are carried in the hybrid which we have set forth is described herein, will be of benefit and provide advantage in the market place. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Asparagus Plant as herein shown and described, characterized as to novelty by the unique combination as an all male hybrid, of high yield ability, resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi) and good field tolerance to root and crown rot (Fusarium oxysporum and F. moniliforme), with outstanding geographic adaptation, yielding well under widely varying conditions. 